India is one of the top tourism destinations in Asia: CNN Global Travel Survey

India is one of the top tourism destinations in Asia, according to findings from a CNN global travel survey released today. The results also position the country as the region’s fourth fastest growing tourism destination and the third most attractive business for investment opportunities, after China and Hong Kong.
                                                          
One-fifth of CNN’s audience of global travelers considering a visit to Asia Pacific, would consider visiting India in the 12 months and one of the reasons may be its celebrated culture. The destination fended off competition from Japan and Thailand to rank as the destination in the region with the second richest “culture and heritage” destination, with only China scoring higher in this category.

The study, entitled “CNN Consumer Connect – Travel and Tourism 2013”, looks at consumer travel trends, perceptions and behavior, and was hosted on all CNN websites worldwide. It polled more than 3,000 readers based in over 70 countries around the world and included 25 Asia Pacific destinations.

Duncan Morris, Vice President of Research at Turner International Asia Pacific, said, “These results are great news for India and the Asia Pacific region as a whole. CNN consumers are discerning, affluent global travelers and they clearly indicate a desire to visit this part of the world to enjoy a particular brand of hospitality, food, culture – everything that makes a travel experience distinctive. At a time where money in the household is perceived to be tighter, spending on travel is still obviously a priority for many.”

More broadly, the findings show that CNN’s websites attract an audience of frequent international air travelers for both leisure and business. They are typically travel decision makers spending an average of US$3,000 on a holiday. Moreover, a look at “travel perceptions and behavioral trends” reveals that “safety and security” issues are of greater concern for two-thirds of global respondents when choosing an international travel destination. Asia Pacific-based travelers prioritize price slightly more than the global average, while reputation is third in their list of considerations.

Other Key findings from the survey include:

·        2.2 times as many travelers intend to spend “more” on vacations in 2013 as those planning to spend less (38% vs. 17%).

·        58% have booked entire holidays online. Destination specific websites lead the way as a source of travel information, with travel content websites a close second.

·        73% are willing to take a long-haul flight for their holiday

·        72% would enjoy visiting more than one country on their vacation

·        54% are considering new and emerging markets for their vacation

·        51% of respondents have specific Asia Pacific destinations on their wish list for travel in the next 12 months

·        54% of Asia Pacific respondents are most likely to travel within their home region in the next 12 months vs. 46% who place other regions at the top of their list

·        61% feel that advertising is a useful source of travel ideas

·        71% believe that advertising on CNN can enhance the popularity of a destination

Three-quarters of respondents said that CNN is well-placed to provide travel content to its audience. CNN Travel (travel.cnn.com) is a valuable source of travel information. In November, the Asia Pacific-focused travel website CNNGo.com merged with CNN.com International to create a new, bigger and better global digital travel channel.